New HP DeskJet 2600 Omits ‘Bells and Whistles’ to Appeal to Seniors

While we’re accustomed to hearing a lot about new tech geared for millenials, HP Inc. has taken an interesting new tack with its DeskJet 2600, which may be just the thing for non-tech oriented seniors who want a simple to operate home printer/All-in-One. The new DeskJet 2600 features wireless connectivity, “but scraps a lot of other bells and whistles – to meet their (users’) needs for wireless printing from a smartphone or tablet, at an affordable price.”

From a marketing purpose, this may be just the ticket, as HP points out that the American population aged 65 and older is expected to double. As the firm points out: “Baby Boomers will be heading into their golden years with their smartphones in hand. But the ways in which this group uses their tech will change significantly as they get older.”

The new DeskJet 2600 series, retails for $49.99, and provides wireless and mobile connectivity, and color print, copy, and scan. It’s available now in the United States, and will be available globally later this year,

Cari Dorsh, director of home consumer product management at HP Inc. commented: “The customer we are targeting doesn’t need 100-sheet inputs trays or really fast speeds, because they don’t do a ton of printing. They need convenience, ease-of-use and reliability in a low-cost device.”

Wi-Fi Direct

HP points out that, with fewer cables, wireless printing offers much flexibility in where a printer is placed and enables printing from mobile devices and PCs alike. But for consumers who don’t have broadband at home, HP says it embedded Wi-Fi Direct in the DeskJet 2600, ensuring that users – or anyone who walks into the house – can still print from their smartphones or other mobile computing devices.

“We know that the whole market is moving toward wireless and customers want mobile,” Dorsh said. “Wi-Fi Direct enables multiple users to connect their smartphone or tablet directly to the All-in-One and easily print without accessing a network.”

Rethinking design

HP says its engineers were able to keep costs down by removing higher-end features, simplifying the device, and making it easy to use right out-of-the-box.

There aren’t a lot of features to get confused about, Dorsh said, making it an ideal printer for empty nesters or in multi-generational households where grandparents reside with their school-age grandkids. According to Dorsh, having wireless connectivity and mobile printing is more important than higher-end features for this segment.

Those design tweaks included enlarging the control buttons and reducing the feature set on the control panel to make the printer’s capabilities easy to understand.

For people on a limited budget, HP is also offering low-cost, subscription-based Instant Ink services that ensures ink is delivered automatically when supplies are running low, for a monthly fee that is as little as $2.99 per month.

Wireless setup was streamlined, too. All of it can be done via the HP All-in-One Remote smartphone app that walks through the process for an easier user experience.

“We made the setup much easier for people who aren’t necessarily tech-savvy,” Dorsh said. “They get these forward-looking features and something everyone in the house can connect to without a lot of added cost or complexity.”

HP rates the DeskJet 2600 at up to 7.5 (black)/5.5 (color) ppm, and along with Wi-Fi Direct, it also supports Apple AirPrint for mobile printing. It features a 60-sheet paper input tray, 25-sheet output tray, and platen-only scanning.

Privacy & Cookies: We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Wirth Consulting website. However, if you would like to, you can change your cookie settings at any time.
Cookie Policy